For Thursday’s lecture I’ve assigned Jürgen Habermas’s famous essay “The Public Sphere: An Encyclopedia Article.”
As you follow the his history of the public sphere, look out for and think about a couple things. What were the social conditions that caused the development of the public sphere? When did the public sphere begin and why does he argue it did not exist before that time? What is the function of the public sphere today and how is it different from when the public sphere first appeared?
In the recommended readings are two pieces on higher education and whether or not it is a “public good.”